James enlisted on 18th October 1915. He was 20 years old. He was promoted to Serjeant on 28th February 1916. James embarked at Southampton on 6th March 1916, then disembarking the next day at Havre he entered the war in France on 7th March 1916. He was admitted into his unit on 14th August suffering with Trench Fever and was transferred to No 12 Stationary Hospital at St Pol, returning to his unit for duty on the 24th. On 3rd September 1916, during the Battle of the Somme, the 39th Division became involved in the Fighting on the Ancre. The A.D.M.S. wrote “The position occupied by our troops was one from which it was most difficult to evacuate owing to the ground being exposed and the line of evacuation a lengthy one. The entrenchments were dominated on three sides, the Aid Posts small and inadequate and exposed to shell and machine-gun fire. Added to this I am informed by officers commanding bearers and others that enemy snipers were most active, picking off our bearers when collecting, and wounding again the patients being carried on stretchers. Super-added to which were weather conditions which turned the frontal surroundings, roads and pathways into a boggy state.” The R.A.M.C. casualties were 7 O.R’s killed and 5 officers and 76 O.R’s wounded. James was one of the 7 killed - being wounded and dying from his wounds the same day. He was the son of the late Walter and Mrs E Gardner of 15 Artizan Road, Wellingborough Road, Northampton; and the husband of Elsie Hannah of 90 East Street, Farnham, Surrey.